Means for coupling vehicles.



w. A. T. MU'LLER. MEANS FOR COUPLING VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED11111127; 1911-.

PatentedAug. 26, 1913.

WILHELM ADOLF THEODOR-MIILLER, OF BERLIN-STEGLITZ, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR COUPLIN G VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Application filed May 27, 1911. Serial No. 629,842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM ADOLF THEODOR MiiLLnn, a subject of theGerman Emperor, and resident of Berlin-Steglitz, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Means for Coupling Vehicles, ofwhich the following is a matic plan view illustrating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the coupling being adjusted to cause thewheels when the train is pulled to travel in different paths. Fig. 3 isa similar view but illustrating the position of the vehicles when forceis applied to pull the train.

1, 2, 3, and 4, indicates vehicles: 5 and 6,

the wheels thereof. The front wheels 6,

turn with the usual fifth wheel construction, indicated at 7 Pivoted toeach fifth wheel construction is a tongue 8. The forward end of thetongue is pivoted to the rear end of the vehicle ahead as shown in thedrawing]. Securr l. to each pole near the forward en are two divergingguys 99, the rear ends of which are pivoted to the front outer ends ofthe fifth wheel construction 7 of the vehicle from which the poleextends. To adjust the length of the guys 99 each on is provided with aturn buckle 10. v 4

In use, the tongue of the rear vehicle is pivotally fastened to the rearof the vehicle ahead, as shown in Fig. 1. Then. the turn buckles areadjusted so .as to partially rotate the fifth wheel construction],as-shown in Fig. 2. Now .when the train of-vehicles are drawn over theroad, thepull exerted on. the guys 9-9, and tongues, will cause eachsucceeding vehicle to be displaced from a center lme drawn through thefirst vehicle, as indicated in Fig. 3, consequently avoiding theformation of ruts in the roadway, as would occur if all the wheels ofthe vehicles traveled in the same path. By adustin the ve ioles may bevaried. Of course the turn buckles can be adjusted so as to cause theposition of thevehicles to be such that they will-be located on theopposite of a medial line to that shown in the drawing.

What I claim is: 1. In combination, a train of vehicles, each vehicleincluding rear wheels, fifth wheel construction, front wheels movablewit-h the fifth wheel. construction, a tongue pivoted to swinghorizontally on the front of each fifth wheel construction, each tongueextending to and pivoted to swing horizontally at its forward end to therear of the vehicle ahead, and guys extending from each tongue andsecured to the fifth wheel construction to which the tongue is secured,

the. turn buckles the alinement of one of said guys being shorter thanthe other to cause the wheels of the succeeding ve hicle in the train totravel in a different path than the wheels of the vehicle ahead.

2. In combination, a train of vehicles, each vehicle including rearwheels, fifth wheel construction, front wheels movable with the fifthwheel construction, a tongue pivoted to swing horizontally on the frontof each fifth wheel construction, each tongue extending to and pivotedto swing horizontally at its forward end to the rear of the vehicleahead, guys extending from each tongue and secured to the fifth wheelconstruct-ion to which the tongue is secured, adjusting devices ontheguys to form one shorter than the other to cause the wheels of thesucceeding vehicle in the train to travel in a different path than thewheels of the vehicles ahead.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

WILHELM ADOLF THEODOR MULLER. Witnesses: I

HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAB HAUPT.

